The man who had crushed her phone stood beside him, his eyes cold and unyielding. Brittney recognized him as the man who had been taking pictures of them earlier. Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her. They had been setup. The man must have taken pictures of them to make them feel anxious and uneasy, having already predicted Jacinta running across the stage, and dying instead.

  Brittney tried to struggle free, but Xanqer's grip was too strong, and he pulled her away, her arm screaming in protest.

  As they walked, Brittney's arm felt like it was being pulled out of its socket. Xanqer didn't seem to care, his face cold and hard as he dragged her to a nearby room. When they finally stopped, he released her arm with a careless flick, and Brittney stumbled backward, her eyes fixed on him in fear.

  Davis closed the door behind them, and Brittney's heart skipped a beat. She was trapped, alone with two men who seemed determined to make her pay for her sins.

  Meanwhile, Meesha had been taken away from the stage, her body shaking with trauma. She felt like she was in a nightmare, and she couldn't wake up. The image of Jacinta's broken body was seared into her mind, and she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that had settled over her.

  As she washed the blood off her body and changed into fresh clothes, Meesha felt like she was moving through a fog. She couldn't think straight, and her emotions were in turmoil. When she finally emerged from her dressing room, Kira and the stylists, along with Director Gu, were waiting for her, their faces etched with concern.

  Meesha broke down in tears, her body wracked with sobs. "It's all my fault," she wailed, her elbows on her knees and her face buried in her palms. "Jacinta died because of me. I should have been the one to die."

  "Meesha, it's not your fault," Kira said gently, trying to comfort her, but Meesha pushed her away. "Don't say that, Kira. It's not true. Jacinta died, and it's all my fault.

  Director Gu tried to reason with her but Meesha was beyond consolation. "Why would she suddenly run across the stage like that? It was obvious that she wants to save me from the fall."

  The group tried to console her, but Meesha was inconsolable. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of guilt, and she couldn't find a lifeline to cling to. She grabbed her hair with her hands, feeling like pulling them out.

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  Finally, Meesha sent them all away, unable to bear their sympathetic gazes. As the door closed behind them, she leaned against it, her back sliding down until she was sitting on the floor. She buried her face in her hands and wept. As she cried, Meesha remembered the sound of the rock crashing down, the sight of Jacinta's body crumpling beneath it, and the feeling of was blood splattering across her face.

  She felt like her world had been turned upside down and she didn't know how to make it right again.

  ******

  Xanqer's eyes narrowed as he walked closer to Brittney, his expression cold and menacing. Brittney backed away in fear, her eyes fixed on him as if hypnotized. She stumbled and fell backwards to the ground, her hands scrambling to find purchase as she desperately tried to scramble away from him.

  But Xanqer kept coming, his eyes fixed on her with an unnerving intensity. Brittney scuttled backwards, her eyes welling up with tears as fear took hold of her. She looked like a trapped animal, desperate to escape but with nowhere to go.

  "W-who are you people?" Brittney stuttered, her voice trembling with fear. "What do you want from me?"

  Xanqer's expression didn't change as he turned on the computer. He was only worried about Meesha, knowing she would blame herself for Jacinta's death. He didn't want her to cry, to torture herself with guilt. His gaze locked onto Brittney, and his voice sent shivers down her spine. "Come here."

  Brittney's fear was palpable as she slowly stood up, her eyes fixed on Xanqer's foreboding expression. Her legs trembled as she walked towards him, her heart racing with anticipation.

  Xanqer's eyes flicked to the chair, and Brittney obediently took a seat, her movements stiff with fear. Xanqer's gaze narrowed as he scrolled through the laptop, his fingers flying across the keyboard. He clicked on the Instagram app, and his eyes locked onto Brittney's. "You're Jacinta's manager, aren't you? So you must know her password. You'll make a live video on Jacinta's account, and you'll tell everyone about your little plan to kill Meesha."

  Brittney's eyes widened in horror as Xanqer's words sank in. No, she couldn't do it. She couldn't tarnish her own reputation.

  Brittney shivered in fear, her voice barely above a whisper. "I...I won't do it."

  Xanqer's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. He grabbed Brittney's hair, forcing her to look up at him. His grip was like a vice, and Brittney felt a searing pain as her scalp ached.

  "I'll have to make use of other means then," Xanqer growled. "I won't mind that you're a woman."

  Brittney's eyes widened in fear as she understood the meaning behind Xanqer's words.

  Brittney's eyes welled up in tears as she nodded. "I'll do it. I'll confess to everything."

  "Good," Xanqer said, his gaze unyielding.

  *******

  Inside the room, Meesha sat behind the door, her arms wrapped around her knees, and her face wet with tears.

  At that moment, the door ragged with knocks. "Meesha, open the door. I have something to show you," Kira's voice came from the other side.

  "Kira, can you just leave me, please," Meesha said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Kira shouted, her voice laced with urgency. "Meesha, you have to see this. The rock falling wasn't an accident. It was planned. It was planned by Jacinta herself."

  Meesha raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean it was planned by Jacinta herself?" she asked, her voice laced with skepticism.

  Kira's voice came through again. "Just open the door, Meesha."

  Meesha wiped off her tears and stood up, straightening her skirt. She opened the door, and Kira flew in, carrying a laptop. Kira set the laptop in the table and gestured for Meesha to sit..

  As Meesha looked at the screen, she saw a livestream playing. Brittney's tear-stained face filled the screen, her eyes red and puffy.